Ólafur Arnalds

Ólafur Arnalds, born on January 5, 1954, is a distinguished professor at the Agricultural University of Iceland who has revolutionized our understanding of volcanic soils and soil erosion processes. His academic journey includes a BSc in geology from the University of Iceland, an MSc in soil science from Montana State University, and a PhD in soil science from Texas A&M University in 1990. As one of Iceland's pioneering soil scientists, he has made groundbreaking contributions to the field, including creating Iceland's comprehensive soil map and authoring the definitive work "The Soils of Iceland" published by Springer. His remarkable research on soil erosion in Iceland earned him the prestigious Nordic Council Environmental Prize in 1998, highlighting his crucial work on wind erosion processes and dust production from Icelandic deserts, which ranks among the world's highest. Since 2005, he has served as a professor at the Agricultural University of Iceland, where he previously held the position of Dean until 2012. His research portfolio spans volcanic soil areas, soil genesis, ecological restoration, and carbon sequestration, while also leading the development of the Icelandic farmland landcover database (Nytjaland). In collaboration with his wife, Dr. Ása L. Aradóttir, also a professor at the Agricultural University of Iceland, he helped establish the UN UNESCO Land Restoration Training Program. His teaching contributions include core participation in the UN University Land Restoration Training Programme and development of courses such as "A Business Approach to Sustainable Landscape Restoration" and comprehensive soil science programs at the Agricultural University of Iceland.